Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Migration

Google has stopped using Universal Analytics as of July 1, 2023, and will no longer add new data to UA. The replacement product is Google Analytics 4. You can still access Universal Analytics reports for six months afterward, but UA will eventually shut down. Therefore, SHOPLINE recommends that you create GA4 for your website and start using it as soon as possible. This article introduces how to migrate from UA to GA4.

Differences Between UA and GA4

Google Analytics 4 is a new version of Google Analytics. Instead of being a simple upgrade, it is a new data collection model. UA is a data model based on the Session, while GA4 is a data model based on the Event. The specific differences are as follows:

• Data collection:
  • UA uses a pageview-based data collection model to track customer behavior by inserting JavaScript codes on each page. It organizes data mainly based on sessions and pageviews.
  • GA4 uses an event-based data collection model to highlight the importance of events. It collects diversified and flexible data by triggering custom events on the website or in the app, including page views, button clicks, and conversion events.
• Data model:
  • UA uses dimensions and metrics in combination to represent data. Dimensions describe the characteristics of the data, such as the source of visits and customer attributes. Metrics are quantitative indicators of data, such as page views, and number of sessions.
  • GA4 has introduced a more flexible data model, which uses events and parameters in combination to describe data. Events are the basic unit of customer behavior, while parameters provide detailed context and attribute information.
• Features and reports:
  • UA offers a wide range of features and reports, including source of traffic, customer behavior, conversion tracking, and e-commerce analytics. It is built with many mature and widely-used features, but some advanced features may require configuration and customization.
  • GA4 has been redesigned in terms of features and reports. It provides more automated features such as exploratory reporting and intelligent insight, offering in-depth insights and recommendations with machine learning and artificial intelligence.

In general, UA and GA4 are two different versions. GA4 is a new generation of Google Analytics that enables flexible, intelligent, and comprehensive data analysis through event-driven data models and powerful automated features. For new data collection and analysis demands, Google recommends version GA4.

Asset Preparation

You need to understand that the migration from UA to GA4 isn’t an automatic upgrade process, and the data between UA and GA4 isn’t shared. Therefore, you need to reset the GA4 account and the functions. In short, to migrate to GA4, you need to complete the following actions:

• Create a GA4 account in Google Analytics.
• Add the GA4 tab to your SHOPLINE store.
• Migrate audiences to GA4 in your Google Analytics account.
• Migrate conversion funnels and goals to GA.

Before the migration, you need to analyze your account and reporting structure to understand how you can make full play of the various features and controls provided by the new version of GA4. You also need to get a clear understanding of your campaigns as well as the UA conversion and audience currently used in Google Ads and confirm whether you need to migrate them all or redefine the conversion and audience that bring you the most value.

Migrating from UA to GA4

Setup Assistant

You can follow the 12 settings in Setup Assistant of GA4 to complete the migration. First, make sure your GA4 property is linked to the existing UA property. Please note that some of the items here are optional and their relevance depends on how you currently use UA for your business.

Linking to Google Ads

1. You can use the Google Ads Import Tool to copy links between Google Ads and UA to a new Google Analytics 4 property.
2. Once a Google Analytics 4 property is linked to Google Ads, the conversions you create can be exported for use in Google Ads. Audiences created can be used in Google Ads immediately. There is no need to export them.

Migrating Audiences to GA4 (to Prevent Existing Campaigns from Underperforming)

1. When linking Google Analytics 4 properties to Google Ads, make sure to keep the default Enable personalized ads features setting to share audiences with Google Ads, and the Enable Google Signals setting must be kept open at the same time.
2. Use the Google Sheets Plugin to migrate dimensions- and metrics-based audiences available in both Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.
3. Manually recreate audiences in Google Analytics 4.
4. Explore recommended audiences, templates, and predictive audiences for optimization.
5. Once you have added some customers to your audience list, you can add Google Analytics 4 audiences to your campaign or advertising group, so that they can be used for targeting or understanding the audiences in observation mode.

Migrating Conversion Events

• Migrate Universal Analytics goals to Google Analytics 4 conversion events.

The Goal Migration Tool allows you to quickly recreate eligible goals from a linked Universal Analytics property as conversion events in your Google Analytics 4 property.

Please note that for each eligible Universal Analytics goal you select, the Goal Migration Tool automatically takes the following actions in the linked Google Analytics 4 property:

• Mark events created as conversions.
• Create a new Create event rule.

For goals that can’t be migrated automatically, recreate them manually.

• Import GA4 conversions and bid on them in Google Ads:

1. 1. In Google Ads, click Tools and Settings > Conversions to import conversion events into Google Ads. Google Analytics 4 conversions that are similar to existing Universal Analytics conversions will be automatically imported into Google Ads as Secondary conversions.
   2. Compare the number of conversions between GA4 and UA in Google Ads to understand possible differences. Please note that there will be minor differences.
   3. After you import conversions, the Recommendations tab will display recommendations for switching bid strategy in about 15 days.
   4. Change previous Universal Analytics conversions from Primary to Secondary.

Change the Google Analytics 4 conversions you wish to bid on from Secondary to Primary.